Ireland name team for World U20 Championship opener against Italy

Ireland have named their team for their World U20 Championship opener against Italy in Cape Town (KO 3.30pm Irish time on Saturday).

Evan O’Connell will captain the team as they open their Pool B campaign against their familiar Six Nations rivals Italy at the DHL Stadium.

Ben O’Connor, Davy Colbert and Hugo McLaughlin are named in Ireland’s back three, with Finn Treacy and Sam Berman in midfield and Jack Murphy and Oliver Coffey continuing their halfback partnership from the U20 Six Nations.

In the pack, Jacob Boyd, Danny Sheahan and Patreece Bell make up the frontrow, with Alan Spicer joining captain O’Connell in the engine room.

Sean Edogbo is selected at blindside flanker, with Connacht’s Max Flynn set to make his U20s debut at openside and Luke Murphy completing the starting XV at number eight.

Faloon has strong options on the bench, with Stephen Smyth, Emmet Calvey, Andrew Sparrow, James McKillop and Bryn Ward providing the replacements up front, while scrumhalf Jake O’Riordan is in line for his U20s debut should he come off the bench.

Backs Sean Naughton and Hugh Gavin complete Ireland’s match day squad.

Ireland U20s (v Italy): B O’Connor; D Colbert, F Treacy, S Berman, H McLaughlin; J Murphy, O Coffey; J Boyd, D Sheahan, P Bell; A Spicer, E O’Connell; S Edogbo, M Flynn, L Murphy. Replacements: S Smyth, E Calvey, A Sparrow, J McKillop, B Ward, J O’Riordan, S Naughton, H Gavin.